Tobacco-chart



Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

. B. JOHNSON. TOBACCO CHART.

n I APPLICATION FILED JuLY19.1918. 1,381,567.

ad" S T2.: 2.

few!! WILLIAM B. JOHNSON, OF VIALTN, KENTUCKY.

TOBACCO-CHART.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

Application filed July 19, 1918. Serial No. 245,890.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ILLIAM B. JOHN son, a citizen of the United States, residing at lNalton, in the county of Boone and State of lentuckj, have invented certain new and use'ul mproveinents in Tobacco-Charts, of which the tollowingis a specification.

My invention is applicable for use in connection with the sale of loose tobacco in tobacco warehouses.

lt is customary to sell loose tobacco in tobacco warehouses. The tobacco is derived trom quite a number of sources, the accounting being made separately with each source. The weights and quantities and grades of tobacco from the various' sources differ, the saine source often including various lots ot different weights and grades.

Tt is the practice to alace the various lots ot tobacco, whether derived 'from the same or different sources, in separate baskets, the tobacco in each basket being weighed. The sale price for the tobacco in the basket depends on its grade and other eXigencies of a tobacco sale, which is usually a public sale.

Certain customs prevail at tobacco sales. n'iong these is the custom of designating the weights ot the tobacco in the respective baskets in `multiples or a given number of pounds, tor instance of tive pounds. Thus, if the actual weight of the tobacco in a given lot is two pounds or less above a multiple of five, the overweight above this multiple is disregarded. It the overweight is three pounds or more above a given 'multipla the overweight is treated as five pounds, and the weight in the lot is designated as the next higher multiple ot tive. Fractions of a pound are entirely disregarded. The grade-.tions ot weight are, in practice, from live pounds to approximately eight hundred iiounds and sometimes a thousand pounds, En multiples of five.

It is customary not to accept any grade oit tobaccowhich will not sell for titty cents per hundred pounds. The lowest bid received is at this price. Bidding may then advance in 'fractions of one-tenth ot' a dollar or ten cents per hundred pounds, until six dollars per hundred pounds is reached, when it may advance in fractions of onefourth'of a dollar or twenty-live cents per hundred pounds, until twenty dollars per hundred pounds is reached, when the bidding may advance in fractions of one-half a dollar or titty cents per hundred pounds, until thirty dollars per hundred pounds is reached, whereupon the bidding may advance one dollar per hundred pounds, until fifty dollars per hundred pounds is reached, whereupon the bids may advance five dollars per hundred pounds, no bids of other fractions or denominations than those above mentioned being` countenanced or received.

When selling loose leaf tobacco in this manner, there may be a thousand or ifteen hundred' or more baskets, sometimes as high as twenty-five hundred baskets, on the door at a sale. The practice is to walk along the row ot baskets and sell two hundred, three hundred or Jfour hundred baskets per hour.

p Owing to the fact that most of the buyers are in a hurry, because they must reach trains or are desirous of attending other sales, and the fact that the various planters usually have long distances to travel after the sale, the disposal o the various lots takes place in rapid succession.

lt has been the practice, heretofore, when selling a basket of tobacco, for two accountants to independently .iake the calculations of the amount of the sale, this amount being the product of the number of pounds of to aacco in the basket and the price at which sold, the accountants making their calculations independently and comparing their results for verilication.

Due to the fact that the various calculations are involved and numerous, there being approximately thirty-two thousand results or values within the range of weights and prices above mentioned, and to the fact that the. calculations must be made with eXtreme rapidity in order to keep up with the numbers of sales made per hour as above mentioned, experts only have heretofore been employed at this work, with the result that the work is very expensive because of the rapidity and accuracy required.

It is the object ot' my invention to provide means whereby the calculations of tobacco sales are simplified and economy in the sales produced. I accomplish this by providing a chart, of which a series is em- 4steps in the scale of ,thel other baskets.

ployed in selling tobacco by means of my invention. T provide a chart or card for each recognized Weight of the tobacco lots, that is, each recognized Weight of loose tobacco laid in the respective baskets employed at a sale.` The chart or card for each Weight provided has on it the calculations for that Weight at each ofthe prevalent prices at Which the tobacco may be sold, for instance, as above indicated in thelWholenuinbers and fractions above mentioned.

I prefer, further, te provide notations on the 'chart or card, as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

The invention will be further readily understood from the following description y and claims, and from the drawing, in which latter:

Figure 1 a plan view of a Vchart embodying my invention, for a given number of pounds; and, l f

Fig. 2 is a plan view of another of the charts, for different number of pounds, the chart being partly broken away.

The charts depicted in Figs. l and 2 are tvvo of a series of charts embodying my invention.'

The chart comprises a body portion 11,

on Which'there is a space 12 containing aV notation, as 13, of the number of pounds of tobacco for which the chart is calculated. In the present exemplification, the chart in Fig. 1 is calculated for 285 pounds. VThere is a space 1l for insertion of the date of receipt of the tobacco, for instance 11/5/17,

if this is desired. There is a space 15, designated Basket in which the number given the basket is to be inserted, for instance the number 98; it being understood that j each basket in the Warehouse has a number differing from the numbers on all The baskets are consecutively numbered, and whatever basket is haiidiest when the tobacco is received at the Warehouse is selected as the receptacle for the tobacco.

There is a 'space 16 designated No, in Which the serial number is to be placed, for instance the number 87. This` serial number denotes the number given the lot of tobacco in the basket. The lots of tobacco in the respective baskets are given consecutive serial numbers each day iii the order inv which they are respectively placed in the baskets. 'These notations show that there are 285 pounds of loose leaf tobacco in 'the basket, that the basket is numbered 98, and

vcontains Lot No. S7 of tobacco, received on the fifth day of `lfovember,V 1917. Y

There is lfurthermore a space 1T on the lbody of the chart, designated Planter, for the insertion. of the and a space 18,

name of the planter,

tivo horizontal columns,

designated Buyer for the notation of the naine of the buyer of Y ing the sale.

The body of the chart furthercomprises a tabulation Q5 of the permitted prices 20 per hundred pounds of tobacco, and the products 27 of said respective prices muitiplied by the number of pounds notedin theV space 12. preferably arranged iii groups, determined by the Whole number and fractional prices. Group 31 comprises the prices under $0.00. The prices of thisv group areV arranged in vertical columns respectively .of Whole numbers and fractions' the fractions being graduated in steps of .10, and the respective ivliole numbers and fractions thereof and the products thereof respectively being arranged in horizontal columns.

Groups'BQ and 33 comprise the prices unit of weight from $6.00 to but not including $20.00, the Whole nunibers'and the fractions applying thereto, andthe products thereof, being arranged in vertical columns, the Whole numbers and fractions thereof respectively, and ine products associated therewith respectively being arranged in liorizontal columns. U *uroups 32 and 33 are superposed and have a space 34 at their side under the group 31. This space 34 is arranged to receive notations of the supplier of the sfstem or other suitable advertising or information data. K Y` Group 35 comprises the next higher gradations of Whole numbers and fractions, namely froni$20 to but not incita-.ing $30, in which the gradations are atedollar per hundred pounds7 the Whole numbers and per the fractions and the respective products ofv the calculations therefor being arranged in which are superposed. 1 Y

Groups 36 and 3i' represent the dollar advances in price, namely Vfrom $30 Vto but not including $50, with the products thereof arranged in tivo horizontal columns.

'Group 38 comprises the prices froml50 to and including 'r' 5 dollars and thereof at the given Weighnthe steps of the gradation beingl Vve dollars lper hundred pounds.V This group is arranged in a horizontal column( Y It Will thus be noted that the upper and The prices and products are Y the products Cil vbacco contained f ceipt, is provided lower groups are arranged in horizontal columns principally of ten divisions and the intermediate groups of Whole numbers and their ractions are arranged in vertical groups, with the space 34 between said upper and lower groups at the side of said intermediate groups.

The groups are separated by group-lines 39, and the Qfroups are subdivided by divi sion lines 40, forming blocks in Winch the subdivisions of the tabulation are contained.

The chart may comprise one or more detachable coupons.V The body of the chart is, in the present exempliication, designated a factory coupon, as shown at 41. Detachable coupons are shown at 42, 43, 44, the coupon 42 being designated a Warehouse receipt, the coupon 43 being designated as a Warehouse coupon, and the coupon 44 being designated a buyers coupon. Each detachable coupon has thereon a designation of the tobacco Warehouse company, as shown at 45. One or more of the detachable coupons, With either or any of the designations referred to, maybe employed, and the balance omitted, if desired.

Each detachable coupon has thereon a designation 46 of the number of pounds for which the chart is calculated, which corresponds with the number of pounds on the body of the chart, and may be provided With a space 47, for insertion of thedate to correspond with the date inserted in the space 14. Each ofthe detachable coupons has thereon a space 48 designated Basket7 in which notation is made of the number of the basket, which corresponds with the number inserted in the blank 15, in the body of the chart. Each detachable coupon has a space 49. designated No in which the serial number of the lot of tobacco in the basketis marked, which corresponds with the serial number in the space 16 in th body of the chart. Each detachable coupon has a space 50, designated Price, in Tvhich is marked the price per hundred pounds for which the tobacco in the particular basket to which the chart is applied is sold.,Y Notation of the price at which the tobacco is sold is made in each of the spaces 501:0 correspond with the notation made in space r19. Each detachable coupon has a space 51, designated Amount, in which the total amount or product of the price multiplied by the number of pounds of tobacco in thebasket, is marked. which corresponds with the marking vof the sum in the spiace 20 of the chart.

Each detachable coupon,l is provided with va space 54, designated Buyer, for the insertion of the name of the buyer'of the toin the particular basket to which the chart is applied.V

The coupon 42, which is the Warehouse re'- With a space 55. in which the direction Sign is noted. which space is system the arranged to receive the signature of the purchaser, or his agent, to whom the tobacco in the basket is delivered, and acts as a receipt from the purchaser to the Warehouse company ln practice, in employing my invention, as many tabulated charts are furnished by the supplier of. the system as are represented by the various Weights per basket which the tobacco Warehouse is arranged to sell. These Weights. as hereinbei'ore stated, are in multiples of live pounds.

A cabinet is provided with pigeon-holes, each pigeon-hole being provided with as many cards or charts of a given number of pounds as are liable to be used during the season or at the sale, or a number of sales, the idea being` to have a sufficient supply of each chart on hand to accommodate the probable number of Weights of baskets of tobacco and the number of baskets of each Weight as are liable to be offered at any given sale. The cabinet is arranged to contain as many pigeon-holes as there arc permitted Weights, instanced hereinbefore as in .multiples of five pounds, ranging from live pounds to approximately eight hundred or one thousand pounds, depending on the custom of the particular market.

The card or chart instanced in Fig. 1 of the drawing is one for a basket containing 285 pounds of tobacco, and the card or chart instanced in Fig. 2 is another of the series of cards or charts, being the one for a basket containing 135 pounds. ln my improved chart ior each one of the units ot weight, in the present instance each Weight ot from tivepounds to eight hundred or a thousand pounds, contains the products ot calculations thereon of the given number ot pounds, for which each chart is intended, multiplied by the prices pervpound, hereinbefore designated, so that each chart has the products thereon tor its given number of pounds calculated at all prices. all the charts or cards forming the series of charts of my invention.

. The cabinet is arranged close to the Weighers stand. When the loose leat tobacco is delivered at the Warehouse, it is placed in one or more baskets, depending on its grade and the amount of tobacco of each grade. The basket ot tobacco is weighed and a card is selected .from the cabinet, corresponding with the weight determined on. I shall instance that the Weight determined on is 285 pounds, so that the card selected for that given basket is a card like that shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The name ot the planter is inserted in the space 17 in the bodv ot the chart. The number' of the basket is inserted in the spaces 15 and 48, respectively in the body of the card and in as man?,T of the coupons as may be employed. The serial number of the lot of tobacco is inserted in ready to be sold when the floor of the warehouse in its proper place in connectionwith other baskets', so as to be the auction or sale takes place.

At the sale, as hereinbefore stated, great numbers of baskets of loose leaf tobacco are sold within a short space of time, my invention permitting this to be done expeditiously and in convenient manner and without the likelihood of errors occurring. When a given basket has been sold, the price per hundred pounds is inserted in the space 19 marked Price in the body of thel chart, and the name of-the buyer is inserted in the space 18. This is usually done by the ticket marker. r1`his price may be instanced as nine and a quarter dollars per hundred pounds. The ticket-marker or usually another clerk, immediately refers to the notation of nine and a quarter dollars in the tabulation, opposite which notation the amount or total $26.36, the amount of sale for the entire basket of tobacco, is found without calculation. He thereupon marks the price and the amount in the tabulation with a mark ther about, as shown at 59,'and carries down the amount or sum, namely 5526.36, into the space 20, representing they amount of the body of the chart.

The data of the sale is-then duplicated by some one'other than the ticket-marker onall of the coupons, which may be done before returning` the chart to its basket, `or the ticket-marker or other clerk may return the chart to the basket and the duplication of the information on the coupon may be supplied later.

All calculations however are avoided, so that any careful clerk may supply the data relatingto the basket just sold, thereby dis pensing with the high priced expert calculators and accountants which have heretofore been employed for making the calculations of each basket as the same is sold, and avoiding' the employment of two' such eX- pensive calculators or accountants, so that their separate results may be compared for verification.. l

As soon as the sale of thetobacco in the basketis completed and the data filled in the spaces on the card,lthe end coupon 44g, marked buyer7s coupon, is detached and given to the person bidding in the tobacco, who is usually a buyer for a tobaccofactory, and serves asi a memorandum of the sale.

The warehouse conducting the sale vd etaches the coupon 48, marked warehouse coupon, for its records, havingirst inserted the name of the buyer in a suitable book of permanent record, in which the other data on the coupon is also transcribed after the sale of the tobaccok in the basket has taken place. Y

When the tobacco in the basket is called for or delivered, the person receiving the tobacco signs the warehouse receipt, the signed coupon .being retained by the warehouse company as its receipt for delivery of the tobacco. c

The bo-dy'of the chart, which preferably also serves as, a factory coupon, accompanies the tobacco and is forwarded tothe factory purchasing the tobacco as a complete record of the sale and a verification ofthe price and its calculation.

The cards or charts shown in the drawing are for weights of 285 and 135V pounds. 1t will be readily seen that my invention is applicablento the system regardless of the number of pounds represented by'thechart. The various charts, of which there would be two hundred to accommodate Weights of five to one 'thousand pounds in gradationsof live pounds, form a series offcharts, each of which contains A,thedata hereinbefore described and each of whichhas thereon a tabulation of all the V pricesV hereinbefore mentioned and the products of Vsaid respective prices multiplied 1 by the number of pounds noted on the chart. The prices are' preferably given more prominence than'the products,.asfby being printed in heavier typefas indicated-in`- the drawing, so that the particular price per 'unit ofl weight at which the .tobacco isfsoldmay beV readily found on'the chart. Y i

The chart maybe Vprovided with suitable perforations 60 to permit ready separation of the. coupons from the body of the chart vand from each other. 1 Y

flamingk thus fullydescribed my invention, what I claim asV new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:y i Y 1. "A tobacco chart having notation thereon of a given weight, and, a tabulation. of a scale of prices and the values of of tobacco' at 'said respective prices in proximate association, and said chart having notation thereon of the selling agencyjand a plurality of appropriately 'designated spaces to receive notations of ownership at different times of the tobacco.

2. In combination, a tobacco chart for use in sales of loose leaf tobacco in baskets, said chartV comprising a body portion anda series said coupons each having notation thereon of a given number of pounds, said body portion havinga tabulation thereonof a scale of prices per at said respective prices for said number of pounds, said bodyV portion and said respective coupons having appropriately designated spaces thereon for notationjof the number of 'a basket,the serial Anumber of of coupons, said body portion andV unit fof weight andthe valuesV said weight the tobacco lot in said basket, the price per unit of Weight, and the value of said nuin- `ber of ounds at said rice said bod aor- P a l name of the planter and an appropriately designated space for insertion ot the name of a buyer, and one or more of said coupons having thereon a space designated similarly to said last-named space for duplication oi the name of the buyer.

3. In combination, a tobacco chart for use in sales of loose leaf tobacco in baskets, said chart comprising a body portion and a series of coupons, said body portion and said coupons each having notation thereon oi"- a given number o-pounds, said body portion having a tabulation thereon of a scale of prices per unit of Weight and the values at said respective prices tor said numbe1 of pounds, said body portion and said respective coupons having appropriately designated spaces thereon for notation of the number of a basket, the serial number or' the lot of tobacco in the basket, the price per unit of Weight, and the value or" said number of pounds at said price, said body portions further having thereon an appropriately designated space for insertion of the naine of the planter and an appropriately designated space for insertion of the name of a buyer, one or more ot' said coupons having thereon a space designated similarly to said last-named space for duplication of the name of the buyer, and one of said coupons havingthereon an appropriately designated space for signature for constituting said coupon a receipt.

in testimony whereof, have hereunto signed my name in the presence of tivo subscribing witnesses.

ILLIAM B. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

Tminnsk M. SILBER, JAMES J. Frrzra'rnron. 

